System and method for allocating power to loads

ABSTRACT

A system and method for adaptive control of power among a plurality of loads based on a categorization of the loads as either delayable or non-delayable, wherein the non-delayable loads are preferably supplied power over the delayable loads. In one aspect, the system may be used to allocate limited power from a backup power source.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/354,240, filed Jan. 1, 2009, entitled “System and Method forAllocating Power to Loads,” which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/952,565 entitled “System and Method forAllocating Power to Loads,” filed on Sep. 28, 2004, each of which arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to systems and methods for efficientlyapplying power to a plurality of loads, including controlling switchingof circuits between a primary power source and at least one secondarypower source.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Transfer switches are often used in association with portable orstand-alone electrical generators in order to switch a source ofelectricity for a load between a utility electricity supply and theback-up generator.

For example, a private residence may normally receive its electricalpower from a utility company. For various reasons, however (location ina region prone to severe weather, unreliable utility power, etc.), ahomeowner may desire a back-up source of electrical power so thatelectrical devices and appliances in the residence can be powered duringperiods in which utility power is unavailable. The back-up generator maytypically be a gasoline, diesel, propane or natural gas internalcombustion engine-powered electrical generator, capable of generating analternating voltage. The back-up generator may be installed in or nearthe residence and arranged to be connected to one or more of theelectrical circuits in the residence in order to provide the desiredback-up power.

It may often be undesirable and often illegal or a code violation toleave the back-up generator permanently connected, in parallel with theutility power, to the residential electrical circuits. Thus,conventional residential transfer switches, typically including amanually actuated switch, are used to connect and disconnect the back-upgenerator. For example, when the switch is thrown, the connectionbetween the residential circuit(s) and whichever power source (i.e.,utility or generator) is at the time actually connected to theresidential circuit, is broken, before the connection is made betweenthe residential circuit, and the power source which is being substitutedin.

Conventional manual transfer switches are capable of providing thesimple function of serving to safely accomplish the substitution ofpower sources. However, such manual switches typically require thepresence of an operator in order to accomplish the transfer. This may beundesirable, in that some appliances (e.g., refrigerator or freezer,sump pump, etc.) should not go without power for extended periods oftime and an operator may not be present at the time of a power outage tothrow the switch. In addition, manual transfer switches require thecircuits to be manually switched to the generator, and as such have nomeans of load control or overload protection other than fuses or circuitbreakers. Manual transfer switches also have no automatic means ofcontrolling non-critical loads.

Also available are conventional automatic transfer switches that arecapable of actuating automatically, upon sensing a sustainedinterruption of utility-supplied electrical power. Traditionally, agenerator used with the switch is selected to match the load, however,an overload may cause the generator to stall or a circuit breaker totrip, or both. Automatic transfer switches, if they do come withload-shedding features, generally require a complicated installation andconfiguration process.

One example of an automatic transfer switch and a method of load controlfor an automatic transfer switch that sheds and reconnects loads basedupon a “preselected prioritized hierarchy” is described in U.S. Pat. No.6,172,432 B1 to Schnackenberg et al., entitled “Automatic TransferSwitch,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Thesystem of the '432 patent provides the benefit of preventing generatoroverload while making sure high priority loads remain powered. Adisadvantage of the system of the '432 patent, however, is that the useof all lower-priority loads may be prevented if a high-priority loadrequires power.

Generators may be used without transfer switches, however, this may bedangerous due to the possibility of backfeed into the utility power orshock hazard. As discussed above, manual transfer switches do notprovide any load control and are easy to overload. Overloads can happenduring initial inrush or during steady state operation. When a generator(or other backup source such as a UPS) is overloaded during a blackout,a manual restart or reset may be required. Thus, power to critical loadsmay be turned off inadvertently, but permanently, through, for example,a non-critical load causing an overload.

Conventional generators also do not provide uninterrupted power becausethey typically require ten or more seconds to start. UPS's do providethis capability, but they are typically designed as point backup and canbe difficult to hardwire into building wiring. Using both generators(for long term backup) and UPS's (for short term, uninterrupted power)is a good solution but is often difficult and expensive to design andinstall for the average homeowner or small business.

Existing methods and systems also do not account for the possibility ofa third source (i.e. a UPS or a second generator), and are oftenexpensive while providing only limited functionality. There is thus aneed for an automatic transfer switch that is easily and safelyconnectable, cost effective, and provides wide range of adaptability andfunctionality.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

At least one embodiment of the invention is directed to a system ormethod of controlling power to a plurality of loads based on acharacterization of the loads as delayable or non-delayable.

A first aspect if the invention is directed to a method for controllingpower supplied to a plurality of loads. The method includes categorizingthe plurality of loads into one of a first group identified as delayableloads and a second group identified as non-delayable loads, allocatingpower to each load in the second group of loads, and allocating anyremaining power to loads in the first group of loads.

In the method, allocating any remaining power to loads in the firstgroup may include selecting loads from the first group to maximize useof the remaining power. The method may further include disconnecting oneload of the first group of loads in event of an overload based on adetermination of which load caused the overload. The method may furtherinclude monitoring the plurality of loads in real-time and dynamicallyallocating the remaining power to the loads in the first group of loads.Dynamically allocating may include characterizing each load in terms ofpeak power and steady-state power. At least one of the loads in thesecond group of loads may be characterized as operable with one type ofback-up source and allocating power to the at least one load may includeallocating power from only the one type of back-up source. Categorizingthe plurality of loads may include for each load identifying a loadtype, and using a default setting to categorize each load based on theload type. The method may further include allowing a user to change thedefault setting. The method may further include setting default valuesfor electrical parameters for each load based on the load type. Theelectrical parameters may include a surge power rating and a steadystate power rating. The method may further include allowing a user tochange the default values for the electrical parameters. The method mayinclude updating values of the electrical parameters based on measuredvalues. The method may also include monitoring power use to theplurality of loads while the plurality of loads are operating from aprimary source of power, and providing a recommendation for a back-upsource of power based on the power use.

A second aspect of the invention is directed to a system for controllingpower to a plurality of loads from a plurality of power sources, whereinat least one of the plurality of power sources is a primary power sourceand at least one of the power sources is a back-up power source. Thesystem includes a first input to receive power from the primary powersource, a second input to receive power from the back-up power source, aplurality of outputs to provide output power to the plurality of loads,a plurality of controllable switches each coupled to the first input,the second input and at least one of the plurality of outputs and acontroller adapted to control the plurality of controllable switches,wherein the controller is configured to detect a loss of primary powerand to control the plurality of controllable switches based on acategorization of the plurality of loads as delayable or non-delayable.

The system may include a third input to receive power from a secondback-up source, wherein the third input is coupled to at least one ofthe plurality of controllable switches. The controller may be furtheradapted to control the plurality of switches to allocate back-up powerto the non-delayable loads before allocating power to the delayableloads. The controller may be adapted to detect an overload conditionafter a loss of primary power and to control one of the plurality ofswitches to terminate power to one of the delayable loads. Thecontroller may be further adapted to monitor the plurality of loads andto dynamically allocate back-up power to the delayable loads withoutdiverting power from any non-delayable loads. The controller may beadapted to characterize each load in terms of peak power andsteady-state power, and to allocate power to each of the plurality ofloads based on the peak power and the steady-state power of each load.The system may be configured to couple to a generator at the secondinput and to a UPS at the third input and the controller may beconfigured to categorize at least one of the loads as a UPS only loadand to couple the UPS only load to the third input to receive power fromthe UPS after a loss of primary power. The system may further include acontrol output coupled to the controller, and the controller may beconfigured to provide output commands at the control output to control agenerator. The system may include an input coupled to the controller toreceive an input from a generator to allow the controller to monitor atleast one parameter of the generator. The system may further include acommunications output coupled to the controller, and the controller maybe configured to provide status of the system at the communicationsoutput to allow a remote user to monitor the system. The controller maybe further adapted to receive a load type for each of the plurality ofloads, and to categorize each load as delayable or non-delayable basedon the load type. The controller may be further adapted to receive aninput from a user to modify a categorization of at least one of theplurality of loads. The controller may be further adapted to set defaultvalues for electrical parameters for each load based on the load type.The electrical parameters may include a surge power rating and a steadystate power rating. The controller may be adapted to receive an inputfrom a user to change the default values for the electrical parameters.The controller may be adapted to update values of the electricalparameters based on measured values. The controller may be adapted toreceive data indicative of power draw by the plurality of loads whilethe plurality of loads are operating from the primary power source, andthe controller may be adapted to provide a recommendation for a back upsource based on the power draw. The controller may be further adapted toprovide a warning to a user of an existence of an overload condition andto receive an input from a user to change at least one non-delayableload to a delayable load to relieve the overload condition. Thecontroller may be configured to detect an overload condition of the UPSor the generator and to switch at least one load from the UPS to thegenerator or from the generator to the UPS. The controller may beadapted to contain parameters for the plurality of loads and to modifythe parameters based on at least one of seasonal changes and inputs froma user.

Another aspect of the invention is directed to a system for controllingback-up power to a plurality of loads, the plurality of loads includinga first group of loads categorized as delayable loads and a second groupof loads categorized as non-delayable loads. The system includes a firstinput to receive power from a primary power source, a second input toreceive power from a first back-up power source, a plurality of outputsto provide power to the plurality of loads, and means for controllingthe system upon loss of primary power to allocate the back-up power suchthat non-delayable loads will be powered before delayable loads.

The system may further include means for detecting an overload conditionand for terminating power to at least one delayable load to correct theoverload condition. The system may further include means for determiningsteady state power and peak power for each of the plurality of loads andallocating back-up power based on the steady state power and peak powerdetermined for each of the loads. At least one of the plurality of loadsmay be categorized as a UPS only load, and the system may furtherinclude a third input to receive power from a UPS and means for couplingthe UPS only load to the third input to receive power from the UPS aftera loss of primary power. The system may include means for controlling agenerator coupled to the second input and means for monitoring thegenerator. The means for controlling may include means for starting andstopping the generator. The system may further include means forallowing a remote user to monitor and control the system. The system mayalso include means for monitoring power draw by the plurality of loadswhile operating on primary power, and means for recommending a back-uppower source based on the power draw. The means for controlling thesystem may include means for dynamically allocating power to the loadsto maximize power draw from the back-up source in a back-up mode withoutexceeding an output capacity of the back-up source.

Yet another aspect of the invention is directed to a system forcontrolling power to a plurality of loads from a power source. Thesystem includes a first input to receive power from the power source, aplurality of outputs to provide output power to the plurality of loads,a circuit that selectively couples the first input to one or more of theplurality of outputs, and a controller adapted to control the circuit toselectively provide power to the plurality of loads, wherein thecontroller is configured to control the circuit based on available powerfrom the power source and based on a categorization of the plurality ofloads as delayable or non-delayable.

In the system, the controller may be adapted to control the circuit tomaximize use of the available power, and the controller may be adaptedto disconnect one load of the delayable loads upon detection of anoverload condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In thedrawings, each identical or nearly identical component that isillustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. Forpurposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in everydrawing. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an adaptiveload control system and transfer switch according to aspects of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of switch connections between power sourcesaccording to aspects of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of an initial configurationprocedure;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing further detail of an installationprocess used in the process of FIG. 3 for each circuit;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a process used in one embodiment to updateparameters of loads based on actual measured data during operation; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a load control algorithm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments and aspects thereof will now be discussed in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be appreciatedthat this invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and the arrangement of components set forth in thefollowing description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention iscapable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carriedout in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used hereinis for the purpose of description and should not be regarded aslimiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,”“containing”, “involving”, and variations thereof herein, is meant toencompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well asadditional items.

At least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a systemthat allows a home or small building to use more than one alternate,independent source of electrical energy safely, efficiently andreliably. The system enables the primary power source to be safelydisconnected from the alternate source(s), allowing safe and efficientswitching between the primary power source and alternate power sources.It is to be appreciated that the term “home” as used herein refers notonly to residential houses, apartments or condominiums, but also tomulti-unit buildings, small commercial buildings and other smallbuildings that may use a back-up generator to supply back-up electricalpower. In addition, the primary source of energy for the home will bereferred to primarily as the main utility power. However, it is to beappreciated that the primary energy source may be other than utilitypower, for example, a generator or a solar power system and is notlimited to being utility power. The alternate energy source(s) can be,for example, a generator, a UPS or battery powered inverter, a solarinverter, a fuel cell, or any other type of power supply.

Further, at least one embodiment, in addition to providing efficient useof backup power, can provide intelligent load control in facilities thatdo not have backup power. For example, a primary power source may have alimited power capability, and methods and systems of at least someembodiments of the invention can be used to manage the loads to providethe effect of a higher primary source power capability. In addition,these embodiments may be used to achieve load leveling to reduce, forexample, load demand during peak times to reduce utility power costs.The peak load on the utility source may be smoothed out by distributingpeak loads between primary and backup sources, and/or delayingapplication of power to some loads that are categorized as “delayable.”

According to one embodiment, a power management system and methodautomatically controls loads and power sources to allow a maximum numberof loads to be powered without overloading an alternate power source orsources, which are typically of lower capacity than the primary source.In addition, the system and method may allow maximum runtime of thealternate source, in case where the alternate source is a storageelement, for example, a battery, by controlling the number of loadsconnected to the source and the duration for which the loads areconnected to the source. The system and method according to variousembodiments of the invention maximizes usefulness and functionality ofthe alternate source while minimizing inconveniences so as to maintainavailability of essential home/office appliances and lifestyle choices.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated one embodiment of a powermanagement system 100 according to aspects of the invention. The system100 includes a universal transfer switch (UTS) 102, a main breaker panel104, a generator 106, and an uninterruptible power supply 110. The UTS102 receives input power from select circuit branches of the mainbreaker panel 104, receives input power from the generator 106 and theUPS 110 and provides output power at output circuit branches 121A, 121B,123 and 125. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, output circuit branches121A and 121B are configured as a pair to provide a 240 voltline-to-line output, while output branches 123 and 125 are configured as120 volt output circuit branches. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the240 volt output (at branches 121A and 121B) may be provided from eitherthe generator or the main breaker panel, while the circuit branches 123and 125 may be powered from the generator, from the main breaker panel,or from the UPS.

The main breaker panel 104 may be the primary breaker panel in abuilding, such as a residence, or may be a subpanel that receives powerfrom a primary breaker panel. The main breaker panel 104 receives inputpower from input power lines 103 and provides output power at outputlines 105A-105K. In the configuration of system 100 shown in FIG. 1,five output power lines 105A, 105B, 105D, 105F and 105G are coupled tothe UTS 102, with two of the power lines 105A and 105B being provided ina 240 volt line-to-line configuration. As shown in FIG. 1, in the system100, not all of the output power lines of the main breaker panel arecoupled to the UTS 102. However, in other embodiments, more or less ofthe output power lines of a breaker panel may be coupled to a universaltransfer switch, and may be configured as 240 volt lines, 120 voltlines, single phase or three phase or in some other manner depending ona particular application. Further, the UTS may also be implemented forinternational use with other voltages and for use with 50 Hz powersystems, DC power systems and other power systems. The main breakerpanel 104 also includes a neutral bus bar 109 and a ground bus bar 111.In system 100, the neutral bus bar 109 is coupled to the UTS through anoutput line 107.

The universal transfer switch (UTS) 102 includes relay circuits 113A,113B, 113C and 113D, a main controller 114, an external communicationsmodule 115, a power supply 117, a neutral bus bar 119, a display/userinterface 120, a relay 127, and 240 volt control circuitry 129. The maincontroller provides overall control of the UTS 102, and in oneembodiment includes a microcontroller available from ST Microelectronicsof Geneva, Switzerland, under part no. ST72F321, although othermicrocontrollers may be used. The main controller is coupled to theinput and output power lines to monitor status of all of the powerlines. The main controller is also coupled to relays 113A-113D, controlcircuitry 129, and the relay 127, and controls each of these based onsettings of the UTS and the status of power from the different sources.The display/user interface 120 is also coupled to the main controller toallow user commands to be communicated to the main controller and toallow status and settings of the UTS to be communicated to a user. Inone embodiment, the display/user interface is implemented using anotherST Microelectronics microcontroller, part no, ST72F324, although othermicrocontrollers may be used.

The external communications module 115 is coupled to the display/userinterface 120 and may also couple directly to the main controller 116.In different embodiments, external controllers, displays and otherdevices may couple to the UTS through the external communications moduleto allow external monitoring and control. The external control may beprovided using devices that are coupled directly to the UTS or over oneor more known networks. When an external controller is used, it may alsobe coupled through, for example, a network to the UPS and/or thegenerator to provide centralized and/or remote control of the system100. The UTS may also contain a display and/or one or more userinterface devices, such as buttons to allow a user to monitor andcontrol settings of the UTS.

The relay 127, under control of the main controller 114, is used tocouple the UPS to either the output power lines from the main breakerpanel 103 or to output power lines from the generator 106 to provideinput power to the UPS on line 202C. The power supply 117 of the UTS isused to provide power to internal components of the UTS, and in oneembodiment, may provide DC and/or AC power to external components, suchas a backup battery, a generator battery or a remote control monitoringunit.

The relay circuits 113A-113D are used, under the control of the maincontroller 114, to switch sources of AC power to the output circuitbranches 121A, 121B, 123 and 125. According to one embodiment, the UTSmay include for each circuit to be backed up a relay circuit thatincludes a configuration of relays. FIG. 2 shows one of the relaycircuits 113C in greater detail. The relay circuit 113C is coupled tothree sources labeled line, UPS and generator. However, the threesources may be any sources of power, AC or DC, and are not limitedspecifically to a utility line, UPS and generator. Examples of alternatepower sources could include solar power devices, windmills, hydrogensources (e.g., fuel cells), battery-based inverter, and the like. Inaddition there could be more than three total sources, for example, in asystem that has utility, solar, generator & UPS power sources. It isfurther to be appreciated that the relay configuration shown isillustrative only and that there may be others that provide similarfunctionality and/or additional features, etc. The circuit 113C includesswitches 206, 208, 210, a current sensing device 212 and a voltagesensing device 214. The switches 206, 208 and 210 may be controlledusing control lines 207A, 207B and 207C (for example, by controller 114in FIG. 1) to connect and disconnect the line, UPS and generator sourcesas needed. In one embodiment, the switches are implemented using forexample, a form 1C relay, such as that available from Song Chuan ofTaipei, Taiwan, part no. 832A-1C-S, although other devices could beused. The current sensing device 212 and the voltage sensing device 214may be coupled to the controller 114 using sense lines 209 and 214.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, relay circuits 113C and 113D aresimilar devices that switch one of three input sources to an output.Relay circuits 113A and 113B are similar to circuit 113C except thatrelay circuits 113A and 113B are not coupled to the UPS. In theembodiment shown, the output of circuits 113A and 113B are combined toprovide a 240 volt output. In embodiments using a split-phase output UPSsystem, the UPS may be coupled to each of circuits 113A and 113B. The240 volt control circuitry 129 is coupled to relay circuits 113A and113B and the main controller to provide additional means of preventingbackfeed from an alternate source to the input power lines

In the system 100, the generator 106 is connected to the UTS 102 viapower lines 204A, 204B and 204C with lines 204A and 204B being inputphase lines and 204C being a neutral line. In addition, the generatormay have control signals coupled to the UTS to allow the UTS to remotelystart and stop the generator, and monitor status of generatorparameters, such as fuel level, oil level, temperature, and the like.Further, power for charging of a battery of the generator may beprovided from the UTS using charging connections (not shown). In oneembodiment, the generator may be implemented using a Craftsman 3600Wgenerator available from Sears Roebuck of Chicago, Ill., however, othergenerators may be used as well with embodiments of the invention.

The uninterruptible power supply (UPS) 110 is coupled to the UTS 102over lines 202A, 202B, 202C and 202D. Two of the lines 202A and 202Bprovide power from the UPS and two of the lines 202C and 202D providepower to the UPS. In addition, communication lines may be connectedbetween the UTS and the UPS to allow the UPS 110 to communicate with theUTS 102, for example, using proprietary communication protocols or oneof a number of known protocols. In one embodiment, the UPS may beimplemented using a SmartUPS 1500 UPS available from American PowerConversion Corporation, of West Kingston, R.I. Ratings and powercapabilities of the generator 106 and the UPS 110 may be selectedaccording to expected power needs.

Embodiments of the present invention provide automatic prevention ofgenerator and UPS overloads and automatic load control without setting acomplicated hierarchy of priorities. The system takes advantage of a UPSas an alternate and/or additional source of power for peak-shaving whileproviding true uninterrupted power for sensitive loads. The UPS 110 maybe used to limit unnecessary generator operation by powering loadsthrough short duration outages, thereby maximizing generator life andminimizing fuel consumption, environmental concerns, noise, and thelike.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a flow diagram of oneembodiment of a process 290 for power management in a home or otherbuilding using a system, such as that described above. After initialinstallation (300) of the system, for example, by a qualifiedelectrician, is complete, the installer may be asked some questionsabout the system. First, (block 302), it is to be determined whether aUPS (or inverter) is available for use in the system. If a UPS isavailable, its power ratings, for example, surge power capability andcontinuous output power in Watts, are determined (block 304). Next, adetermination is made as to whether a back-up generator is available foruse in the system (block 306), and again, if there is an availablegenerator, its power ratings should also be determined (block 308). Ifneither a UPS nor a generator is in the system, the UTS may stillproceed (although it would not offer any transfer functionality), andmay make recommendations on the proper size of generator and/or UPS forthe system, based on real-time data (e.g. peak and average power) aboutthe loads collected by the UTS. The portions of the process describedabove 302-308 may then be repeated once a UPS and/or generator isconnected to the system. In the example of FIG. 3, if neither agenerator or UPS is available, the process 290 may wait at block 307until either a UPS or generator is available.

In one example, either (or both) the generator or the UPS may haveadvanced communications features that provide the information for thequestions in blocks 302-308 automatically. In addition, advancedcommunication features may also provide additional functionality, asdiscussed below. Suitable derating of overload ratings may beimplemented by default to provide safety margins.

Next in the process, at block 310, the installer or homeowner may beasked to label each circuit in the system, for example, in a way similarto the way in which circuits are labeled in main breaker panels. Forexample, it may be determined what is the main load on the circuit thatwill be most often used in a blackout, such as, a furnace, refrigerator,sump pump, garage door opener, microwave, computer/home network, TV/hometheater, fish tank, lighting or other circuit. In addition, it may bedetermined which circuits may be capable of sustaining or enduring atemporary power loss and which circuits are not. Based on thisdetermination, each circuit in the system may be categorized internallyby the UTS as “delayable” or “not delayable.” It is to be understoodthat for the purposes of this disclosure, “delayable” means that thepower to the circuit can be temporarily cut off (interrupted) as needed(to handle overloads for example) and restored at a later time. “Notdelayable” means that power to the circuit should not normally beinterrupted, whereas “delayable” circuits would normally be for loadssuch as furnaces and refrigerators that are tolerant of a temporary lossof power. Not delayable circuits would normally be for loads such ascomputers, microwave ovens and garage door openers where even amomentary loss of power could result in data loss, inconvenience orworse. It is to be appreciated that “not delayable” does not necessarilymean “essential.” Rather, a not delayable circuit is one that, when auser initiates operation of a device coupled to the circuit, it isexpected that the device will operate and not temporarily lose power. Adelayable circuit, such as a furnace, may be a circuit that normallycycles on and off on its own and thus is not adversely affected by atemporary loss of power. Also, if the system is configured such thatthere is too much load on the “not delayable” circuits to provide powerto the “delayable” circuits in a reasonable amount of time, theuser/homeowner may be warned and notified of possible changes to theconfiguration that may alleviate the problem.

Referring to Table 1 below, there is given one example of classificationof several exemplary circuits in one embodiment of a system according tothe invention. The table illustrates that power needs of each circuitmay be recorded (manually by the installer/operator or automatically bythe UTS controller) to assist the controller in choosing which circuitsto add or drop to the generator/UPS in the event of a power failure.This set-up system of characterizing circuits in terms of “delayable” or“non-delayable” is simple and intuitive and does not require the user todetermine a complex priority scheme for the circuits. This is asignificant advantage over conventional systems.

TABLE 1 Circuit Delayable? Furnace Yes Microwave No Sump pump Yes Wellpump Yes Refrigerator/freezer Yes Lights No Computer/home network NoTV/entertainment center/home theatre No Air conditioner Yes Garage dooropener No other No

In one embodiment of the invention, for each delayable circuit, amaximum amount of time that power to the circuit can be delayed may beprogrammed into the system. This can be useful for loads that cantolerate a temporary loss of power, but will cause severe problems ifblackout is prolonged. For example, if a well pump is without power fortoo long, the water tank may empty and have to be re-primed manually.Basement flooding may result if a sump pump is without power for toolong. To handle gracefully such situations, the system may includedefault settings for maximum delay times and/or the settings may beinput by a user.

In one embodiment, when the maximum delay time has been reached, thatcircuit will be powered at the expense of another delayable circuit. Forexample, during a prolonged blackout, the generator is powering thefurnace (as the only delayable load) as well as other non-delayableloads through the UTS. The UTS has determined that there is currentlyinsufficient reserve power to supply the well-pump, but a counter iskeeping track of how long power has been disconnected from thewell-pump. When the maximum delay time of the well pump (e.g. 30minutes) is reached, the UTS will disconnect the furnace (since it isthe only delayable load currently being powered), even if it iscurrently running, and supply power to the well-pump instead. At thistime, the maximum delay timer for the furnace (if it has been configuredwith one) will be started (and the maximum delay timer of the well-pumpis reset to zero). If the well pump continues to consume power until thetimer for the furnace reaches its maximum delay time, the UTS willdisconnect the well-pump's circuit in order to connect the furnace. Ifthe well pump stops consuming power, for instance because the water tankfills up, then the system will have spare capacity, which will allow theUTS to connect the furnace in addition to the well pump.

In another embodiment of this maximum delayable time feature, this timermay be used to determine which circuit to re-connect when there is sparecapacity available for the alternate source. As described previously,the default action in similar circumstances would be to connect the loadthat maximizes the output power of the generator without overloading it.However, if one of the loads has exceeded its maximum delay time, thenit will be powered (even if powering another load would have resulted ingreater utilization of generator output power.) This feature allows formore flexibility and intelligence in directing backup power to thoseloads that need it the most, but without necessarily interrupting powerto loads that are currently operating.

In addition to characterizing each of the circuits as delayable ornon-delayable based on the load coupled to the circuit, in oneembodiment, which will now be described with reference to FIG. 4,additional electrical parameters may be stored for each of the circuitsof the UTS. FIG. 4 includes a flowchart describing in further detail thecategorization of circuits in stage 310 of process 290. First, at stage312, a user is asked to identify the load type to be connected to eachof the circuits. Informational block 322 provides examples of variousload types. Next, at stage 314, the system will set default settings forelectrical parameters for the loads identified at stage 312. Theelectrical parameters may include current and/or power for differentoperating modes of the load, as shown, for example, in information block324. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the default settings may beoverridden by a user/operator by selecting an advanced configurationoption at stage 316. In addition, the characterization of a load asdelayable or non-delayable may be set be a user. Upon selection of theadvanced configuration option, the user is presented with a screen (318)that allows modification of the default values that were set at stage314. After modification of the default values, or if the user decidesnot to modify the default values, the process shown in FIG. 4 isrepeated for the next circuit (320). In some embodiments, the defaultsettings may include a value of zero for current and/or power, if thisis the most appropriate setting. The process described with reference toFIG. 4 may also be initiated by a user when a device powered by the UTSis replaced, for example, when a user's furnace is replaced.Alternatively, when a replacement device is installed, the processdescribed with reference to FIG. 5 below may be used to adjust storedelectrical parameters for the furnace.

In one embodiment of the invention, the values for the electricalparameters that are set in accordance with the process of FIG. 4 may beaugmented by actual measured data for each of the circuits obtainedduring normal operation. The use of default settings and updates basedon actual values allows the system to operate with accurate, up-to-dateinformation without requiring complicated configuration procedures. Aprocess 350 for updating electrical parameters during operation will nowbe described with reference to FIG. 5, which shows a flowchart of theprocess. At an initial stage 352, the power is measured for a firstcircuit. Based on the power measured, the system at stage 354 determinesthe operational state of the load by comparing the measured power withthe power entered in stage 310 for each operational state for the loadcoupled to the first circuit. If there is no match, the system willdetermine the state by selecting the state whose power is closest tothat measured. At decision block 356, the system determines whether theset power value for the circuit is valid.

In one embodiment, a valid reading is one that is within ten percent ofthe set value. However, threshold levels other than ten percent may alsobe used. If the measured value is not valid, then at stage 360, theprocess proceeds with the next circuit. The user may be notified of aninvalid reading to determine if there is an error in the system. If thereading is valid, then in stage 358, the stored value will be replacedwith the measured value. After updating the value, or if the set valueis not valid, process 350 continues with the next circuit (360). Usingthe above process, the system is able to adapt to real-time powerchanges when, for example, a load, such as a furnace, is replaced orupgraded.

In a system where both a UPS and a generator are part of the system, theinformation stored for each circuit may include whether the load coupledto the circuit may be powered by the generator only, the UPS only, or byeither the generator or the UPS. This information may be used, forexample, to prevent sensitive equipment such as PCs & home electronicsfrom being potentially damaged by a noisy, poorly regulated output of agenerator. Information regarding a load's ability to operate from one orboth a generator and UPS may be one of the default settings set by thesystem based on the load type. This default setting, like othersdescribed above, may be over-ridden by the user/operator.

The system and methods of the invention may provide adaptive, dynamicselection of which loads to power based on real time data and actualload behavior. Within the “delayable” group, loads (circuits) may stillbe disconnected to prevent overloads and reconnected when the generatorhas spare capacity. However the decision as to which load to disconnectmay not necessarily be pre-set (as in systems where loads are classifiedbased on a hierarchy of “essentialness”), rather load-balancing may bedynamically determined, for example by characterizing each circuit'speak and steady state power draw, and comparing against the capabilitiesof the alternate source(s), e.g. generator and UPS.

In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 6, in a system with a generator ora UPS only, a process 400 for operation of the system during a powerfailure may operate as follows. In a first part of the process (stage402), any circuits categorized as “not delayable” may be connected firstto the available power source, followed by any circuits categorized as“delayable” (stage 404). If, at any time, the system detects (stage 406)that an overload condition (as defined by a power consumption in excessof the provided continuous or surge ratings provided for the generatoror UPS) exists, then one or more of the “delayable” circuits may bedropped (stage 408). In one embodiment, to determine if an overload mayexist, the instantaneous current supplied by the backup source ismeasured, and from this measurement, first a determination is made as towhether the current surge rating of the backup source is exceeded. Ifso, one or more delayable loads are disconnected to result in themaximum load possible within the surge rating of the source. Next, anaverage current draw from the source is determined by measuring theinstantaneous current over a period of time. In one embodiment, acurrent measurement is made thirty two times per line cycle to determinethe average current. If the average current draw exceeds the continuouscurrent rating of the source, then one or more delayable loads aredisconnected to result in the maximum load possible within the currentrating of the source.

According to one embodiment, the choice of which delayable circuit todrop may be based on any or all of following criteria: Which circuit(s),when dropped, will clear the overload while resulting in the maximumamount of power being delivered to all remaining circuits; which circuithas “asked” for the power, i.e. the circuit that triggered the overload.

According to one example, when the overload condition has been cleared,and sufficient power budget exists to reconnect the dropped circuit(s),then reconnecting the dropped circuits may be based on the followingcriteria: Maximizing the load on the generator while minimizing thelikelihood that the circuit, when reconnected, will not trigger anotheroverload; and which circuit has been disconnected for the longest time.In most circumstances, these criteria may be adequate to pick thecorrect circuit for connection/disconnection. However if there are stilltwo or more circuits that may be dropped (or reconnected), the“tie-breaker” may be based on other dynamic factors such as: Theduration that the circuit has been connected or disconnected (i.e. itsplace in the “queue”); the amount of energy delivered to the circuit(e.g. watt-hours) in the last power cycle (e.g.standby-start-run-standby); and the anticipated remaining time that thecircuit is expected to draw power (based upon it's typical powerconsumption profile).

According to another embodiment, an algorithm may be provided for loadcontrol in a system having both a UPS and a generator. In a first step,if both generator and UPS power are available, one or more of thecircuits in the system may be labeled as “UPS only” (i.e., to be poweredby the UPS). The remaining circuits may be powered by the UPS ifsufficient additional UPS power is available, or by the generator. Thedetermination of which circuits should be categorized as “UPS only” maybe based on a circuit's sensitivity to temporary loss of power or toquality of power. For example, extremely sensitive circuits that shouldbe protected from even momentary power loss may be categorized asUPS-only. The decisions on which loads to connect or drop may be basedon the criteria given above, however, these criteria may be applied onlyto those circuits connected to either UPS or generator. The “UPS-only”circuits may not be dropped from the UPS or connected to the generatorunless a power-decision needs to be made among all the UPS-onlycircuits, for example, if the UPS can no longer provide power to all theUPS-only circuits. If only generator power is available (e.g. the UPSbatteries have run down), or if only UPS power is available (i.e. thegenerator has not started yet) then the system may behave as it does inthe example described above with only a single source.

Thus, the system may provide the ability to designate each circuit to beused exclusively with one alternate source. For example, a circuit thatpowers sensitive home electronics (computers, home theater) may bedesignated as “UPS only”, so that the poor quality power & surges from alow cost home generator cannot damage the loads. As another example, aload such as a microwave may be designated “generator only”, so thatpower is available to the microwave only once the generator is started.

According to another embodiment, if a power surge exceeds the rating ofthe generator, then the UTS may switch circuits to the UPS momentarilyto provide greater total surge power capability. Of those circuitslabeled as either UPS or generator, those that will not overload the UPSmay be selected, based on similar criteria as described above. Inanother example, a circuit may be transferred temporarily from the UPSto the generator to prevent UPS overloads, as long as that circuit wasnot designated UPS only. It is to be understood that in a system with aUPS, one mode of operation may be “maximum runtime,” wherein only the“not delayable” circuits may be powered until the generator (ifavailable) comes on line. There may be additional options for increasingthe runtime of the UPS, such as dropping all “delayable” and/or certain“not delayable” circuits when UPS batteries are running low. Embodimentsof the invention may provide maximum benefit when both a generator and aUPS are available, leveraging the strengths and minimizing thedeficiencies of each source. Embodiments of the present invention may beable to maximize the usefulness of an alternate power sourceautomatically without unnecessary load shedding. Embodiments of theinvention offer the additional advantage of enabling an operator toeasily change UTS modes after installation, for example to account forseasonal adjustments, the addition of a second alternate power source,or to take advantage of lower cost energy.

The presence of a UPS may be detected (manually or automatically) andbecome a factor in the decision of whether or not to disconnect anyparticular load. For example, during a peak inrush event (as in startinga large motor load), one of the “not delayable” circuits alreadyconnected to the generator (e.g. a PC) could be temporarily transferredto a UPS to prevent a power spike from affecting the circuit (e.g.,causing the PC to reboot) or to prevent generator overload. This allowsa generator of a lower power rating to perform equivalently to agenerator of a higher power rating.

Embodiments of the invention provide a novel method for adaptivelycontrolling power among a selection of circuits, including categorizingthese circuits based on whether power to those circuits can be “delayed”or not. The controller in the transfer switch (UTS) then attempts toalways keep the “not delayable” group powered by the alternate source inthe event of loss of power from the primary source. The “delayable”group of circuits may only be powered if spare power capacity isavailable. Thus, the system provides adaptive, dynamic selection ofwhich loads to power based on real time data and actual load behavior.Within the “delayable” group, circuits may still be disconnected toprevent overloads and reconnected as necessary. However the decision asto which load to disconnect may not be pre-set, but rather may bedynamically determined, for example, by characterizing each circuit'speak and steady state power draw, and comparing against the capabilitiesof the alternate source(s), e.g. generator and UPS.

Although this disclosure has primarily discussed a system in which oneor two alternate sources are available, the transfer switch of thepresent invention may be easily adapted to deal with more than one ortwo alternate sources. For example, it may be possible to have more thantwo alternate sources and to implement distributed power generationacross a number of alternative energy sources. More broadly, this systemcould deal with a plurality of independent energy sources and distributeit to a plurality of output circuits, with any one output circuit beingable to be powered by any of the input sources.

According to another embodiment, the system may also (optionally) beable to notify remotely the user about the status of the UTS or theenergy sources. For example, as discussed above, the controller of theUTS may include a remote display unit that may be used to remotelynotify the user to, for example, come and start a manual generator incase of an extended blackout. In addition, in embodiments of theinvention described above, the UTS is described as containing acontroller that is programmed to control the UTS in the modes ofoperation described above. In other embodiments, the functions of thecontroller may be implemented in an external controller or computercoupled to the UTS.

According to another embodiment, the system may measure the power drawof individual circuits and determine the appropriate UPS or generatorsizing, the likelihood of overloads, estimate runtime (on battery) andmake suitable recommendations to the user for optimal performance.

Below are given some specific examples to illustrate several scenariosin which the embodiments of the invention may operate. However it is tobe appreciated that embodiments of the invention are not limited to thespecific examples described herein, which are given for the purposes ofexplanation and illustration, and are not intended as a definition ofthe scope of the invention.

For the following examples, consider a backup system with a UTS and aback-up source rated for 6500 W peak power, 4000 W continuous power. Twoloads have been labeled “delayable,” a furnace and a refrigerator.

Example 1

The source was loaded with 4490 W, consisting of a furnace, PC,refrigerator, microwave, and lights. The UTS recognizes that the load isbeyond the continuous rating of the source and takes action. It measuresthe power being drawn by the two delayable loads as 1800 W by thefurnace and 600 W by the refrigerator. The UTS disconnects power to therefrigerator, bringing the total load to 3890 W.

After a few minutes, the microwave turns off, decreasing the total loadto 2390 W. The UTS recognizes the extra capacity available andreconnects the refrigerator, which raises the load to 3590 W.

Example 2

The source was loaded with 4590 W, consisting of a furnace, PC, lights,and an operating garage door opener. The UTS recognizes that the load isbeyond the continuous rating of the source and takes action. Since thefurnace is the only delayable load currently drawing power, the UTSdisconnects the furnace from the source. When the garage door openercompletes its task, the load drops, so the UTS reconnects the furnace.

Example 3

The source was loaded with 1190 W, consisting of a PC, refrigerator, andlights. The thermostat toggles on and activates the furnace. The inrushof the furnace creates a surge load of 6590 W. The UTS recognizes thesurge rating of the source is being exceeded and takes action. Itmeasures the power being drawn by the two delayable loads as 5400 W bythe furnace (due to inrush) and 600 W by the refrigerator. The UTSdisconnects power to the refrigerator, bringing the total load to 5990W, within the surge rating of the generator.

Once the inrush requirement of the furnace is satisfied, the loadsettles to 2390 W. The UTS reconnects the refrigerator. The surge ratingof the source handles the surge load of 4790 W. Once the inrushrequirement of the refrigerator is satisfied, the load settles to 2990W.

Example 4

In this example, the system includes a UPS rated for 980 W. There is nopublished “surge” rating for this particular UPS comparable to that of agenerator, so for the purposes of this scenario, max surge & runningpower are set at 980 W. The generator (for example, a Craftsman 3600 Wgenerator available from Sears) is rated for 5300 W surge.

The load is set up as shown in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 UPS Generator Surge Power Running Power Standby Power CircuitLoad Delayable? only? only? (Watts) (Watts) (Watts) A Microwave No NoYes 2000 1500 0 B Home theatre No Yes No 600 200 25 C Refrigerator YesNo No 1800 600 15 D PC and home No Yes No 300 300 300 network E Garagedoor No No No 1000 500 0 opener F Furnace Yes No Yes 1200 600 0

In this example, the first 2 columns are set/labeled at the time ofinstallation by the electrician. The next three columns are set duringinitial configuration of the UTS by the homeowner. The last threecolumns are information determined (and continuously updated) during aperiod of time while all the circuits are operating, normally on primaryutility power, but during an extended outage, data from the loadsrunning from an alternate source would enter the calculations. Therecould be default initial values based on the load type chosen.

Referring to Table 2, the total system load's surge power of 6,900 W isabove the surge rating of the generator, as is the total running powerof 3,700 W. However excluding the “UPS only” circuits B & D, the totalgenerator power is 3,200 W (surge 5,600 W). The UPS cannot support thesurge power rating of circuits A, C & F. The UPS can also back up theUPS only circuits of B & D, but not while load C (garage door) isoperating.

According to one embodiment, the system would warn the user of potentialoverloads and offer the chance to reassign groups or settings to reducethe likelihood of overload.

In Example 4, when a power outage occurs the UPS transfers to batteryand immediately starts backing up the “not delayable” circuits A, B, D &E, so that the home network & PC's are not affected at all, and thegarage door opener does not get stuck (if it happened to be operatingwhen the power failed). Total standby power is 340 W, well within therating of the UPS.

While generator power is not available, none of the “delayable” circuits(C or F) are powered because their power ratings (surge and running)would exceed the UPS's ratings (F is generator only anyway). Thirtyminutes later, the blackout continues and the homeowner turns on thegenerator. 15 seconds later, the generator has stabilized and is readyto provide power. Now all circuits that are not UPS only (circuits A, C,E & F) are switched over to the generator, for a standby power of 15 Won the generator and 325 W on the UPS.

Once all circuits are connected, the refrigerator and furnace mayattempt to turn on at once (due to the ˜30 minutes during which they hadno power). This creates a temporary surge power of 3000 W on thegenerator, within the rating of the generator. No circuits are dropped.The running power soon drops to 1200 W.

Sometime later while the furnace is running, and the refrigerator isstarting, for a total power of 2400 W, both the microwave and garagedoor are turned on at around the same time, for a surge power of 5400 W,which exceeds the surge rating of the generator. The UTS has determinedthat it is not able to ride through the surge and must disconnect 100watts of delayable power. This means that C or F must be dropped. Sincedropping the furnace would result in a 600 W reduction of running power(vs. 1800 W of starting power for the refrigerator), the furnace wouldbe the load to drop. In lieu of dropping the furnace, another optionavailable in this system with both UPS & generator is to transfer someload to the UPS. Either the garage door opener or the refrigerator wouldbe available. The furnace is “generator only”; therefore, this option isnot available.

The above examples illustrate the adaptability of the system and UTS tovarious situations. The system of the present invention provides asubstitute for manual and/or automatic transfer switches in new orupgraded installations. As discussed above, the system may be primarilyused in homes, but may also be used in small businesses and apartmentbuildings as well.

At least some embodiments of the present invention described aboveprovide methods and systems for providing efficient control of power ina facility. In embodiments described above, a UTS includes one or morecontrollers that are programmed to provide for efficient control offacility power. In embodiments, functions of the UTS may be implementedin software or hardware, including for example, specially programmed,special-purpose hardware, for example, an application-specificintegrated circuit (ASIC). Further, various methods acts and systemsdescribed above may be implemented using a general purpose computersystem or a distributed computer system programmed to perform thefunctions described above. Such a computer system may include a computerreadable and writeable non-volatile recording medium, such as a disk orflash memory, that store signals which define one or more programs toimplement processes of embodiments of the invention.

Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of thisinvention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications,and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Suchalterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part ofthis disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings areby way of example only.

What is claimed is: 1.-50. (canceled)
 51. A method for controlling powersupplied to a plurality of loads, the method comprising: categorizingthe plurality of loads into one of a first group identified as delayableloads and a second group identified as non-delayable loads; allocatingpower from a power source to each load in the second group of loads; andallocating any remaining power from the power source to loads in thefirst group of loads, wherein allocating any remaining power to loads inthe first group includes, in a first mode of operation, selecting loadsfrom the first group to maximize a number of loads that are powered inthe first group without overloading the power source.
 52. The method ofclaim 51, further comprising monitoring the plurality of loads inreal-time and dynamically allocating the remaining power to the loads inthe first group of loads.
 53. The method of claim 52, whereindynamically allocating includes characterizing each load in terms ofpeak power and steady-state power.
 54. The method of claim 51, whereinat least one of the loads in the second group of loads is characterizedas operable with one type of power source and wherein allocating powerto the at least one load includes allocating power from only the onetype of power source.
 55. The method of claim 51, wherein categorizingthe plurality of loads includes for each load identifying a load type,and using a default setting to categorize each load based on the loadtype.
 56. The method of claim 55, further comprising allowing a user tochange the default setting.
 57. The method of claim 51, whereincategorizing the loads includes for each load identifying a load type,and wherein the method further comprises: assigning a maximum delay timefor at least one of the delayable loads; and setting default values forelectrical parameters for each load based on the load type.
 58. Themethod of claim 57, wherein the electrical parameters include a surgepower rating and a steady state power rating.
 59. The method of claim57, further comprising allowing a user to change the default values forthe electrical parameters.
 60. The method of claim 57, furthercomprising updating values of the electrical parameters based onmeasured values.
 61. The method of claim 51, further comprisingmonitoring power use to the plurality of loads while the plurality ofloads are operating from a primary source of power, and providing arecommendation for a back-up source of power based on the power use. 62.The method of claim 51, wherein allocating any remaining power to loadsin the first group further includes, in a second mode of operation,detecting that a back-up power source including a storage element isproviding power to loads in the first group, and selecting loads fromthe first group to maximize runtime of the back-up power source.
 63. Amethod for controlling power supplied to a plurality of loads, themethod comprising: categorizing the plurality of loads into one of afirst group identified as delayable loads and a second group identifiedas non-delayable loads; allocating power from a power source to eachload in the second group of loads; and allocating any remaining powerfrom the power source to loads in the first group of loads, whereinallocating any remaining power to loads in the first group includes, ina first mode of operation, selecting loads from the first group tomaximize power drawn from the power source without exceeding an outputcapacity of the power source.
 64. The method of claim 63, furthercomprising monitoring the plurality of loads in real-time anddynamically allocating the remaining power to the loads in the firstgroup of loads.
 65. The method of claim 64, wherein dynamicallyallocating includes characterizing each load in terms of peak power andsteady-state power.
 66. The method of claim 63, wherein at least one ofthe loads in the second group of loads is characterized as operable withone type of power source and wherein allocating power to the at leastone load includes allocating power from only the one type of powersource.
 67. The method of claim 63, wherein categorizing the pluralityof loads includes for each load identifying a load type, and using adefault setting to categorize each load based on the load type.
 68. Themethod of claim 63, wherein categorizing the loads includes for eachload identifying a load type, and wherein the method further comprises:assigning a maximum delay time for at least one of the delayable loads;and setting default values for electrical parameters for each load basedon the load type.
 69. The method of claim 63, further comprisingmonitoring power use to the plurality of loads while the plurality ofloads are operating from a primary source of power, and providing arecommendation for a back-up source of power based on the power use. 70.The method of claim 63, wherein allocating any remaining power to loadsin the first group further includes, in a second mode of operation,detecting that a back-up power source including a storage element isproviding power to loads in the first group, and selecting loads fromthe first group to maximize runtime of the back-up power source.